(latest revision: 09/08/98)

Gaining Access to Workstations in the Computer Science Department Network 

Use this document to look up ways to log on to a workstation.

Quotation marks ("...") are used in this document for a variety of purposes.  
In several cases, they indicate the exact characters you are supposed to type 
in order to give some particular command to the computer.  Generally, you are 
NOT supposed to include any quotes in what you type.  In a case where you ARE 
supposed to type quotes, the directions will say so explicitly. 

If you are supposed to press the Enter key after typing a command, the 
directions will use the word enter.  For example, 

Enter "vt100" 

means type "vt100" (without the quotes) and then press the Enter key.  

The CS student network of Sun Ultra workstations consists of eleven computers 
housed in the main computer science lab, P-288.  You will need an account and 
a password to use any of these machines:

Sun Ultra 30's: castor and pollux

Sun Ultra 10's: altair, rigel, vega, capella, soleil, zaurak, saiph, spica, 
and regulus

Initially, computer science majors receive a "network account" which allows 
them to log in to any of the Sun Ultra 10's and 30's.

The Sun Ultra's are configured so that users get the same home directory and 
set of files, no matter which Sun Ultra they log in to. Also, all the Sun 
Ultra's use the same machine language and have identical C++ and other 
compilers.  Therefore any program that you write should run on all of the 
Ultra's if it will run on any one of them.

There are two basic ways of gaining access to these computers:

A: log in at the console (the keyboard and display attached to the computer 
itself), or

B: log in through the network.

Procedures for logging in through the network vary depending upon the computer 
you are using to gain access.  

LOGGING IN AT THE CONSOLE:

One very important rule is the same for all CS Department computers: 

Please do not turn a computer on or (especially) off, without permission from 
someone in charge.  Most especially, never turn off a unix computer, such as a 
Sun Ultra.

To use a console, go to the CS lab in P-288 and find an available Sun Ultra 
workstation.  If the screen is dark, make sure it is turned on and also press 
the shift key a couple of times in case the screen-saver is on.  The monitor 
switch is just below the screen in the center of the "frame" around the 
screen.  If the login panel becomes visible, enter your login name and 
password.  If not, ask someone to help, or find another workstation.

The first time you login at a console, you will probably see a panel asking 
you to choose between "Common Desktop Environment" and "Sunview."  Choose 
"Common Desktop Environment."

LOGGING IN FROM A MACINTOSH IN THE MAIN CS LAB:

(middle of P-288):  Use the File window of the "Better Telnet" program to 
establish a connection.  If you need some help, ask me, the assistant in the 
lab, or the lab administrator Julie Gorman.

LOGGING IN FROM A "WINTEL" MACHINE IN THE MAIN CS LAB: 

(middle of P-288):  Ask someone how to get a telnet session.


LOGGING IN FROM AN AMIGA COMPUTER IN THE MAIN CS LAB:

(rear of P-288):  Icons in the "Workbench Screen" should be visible.  Using 
the left mouse button, double click on the icon with the word "Network" under 
it.  A window will appear with a variety of machine names.  Double click again 
on the name of the machine you want to access.  When a new screen appears, 
press the Enter key once or twice until you get the login prompt.

LOGGING IN FROM A MAC OR WINTEL IN ONE OF THE CAMPUS GENERAL STUDENT COMPUTING 
LABS:

(L145, L130,  P-106, P-120): Ask the lab assistant in the red vest how to get 
a telnet connection to a CS Department computer such as altair, castor, 
pollux, etc.

TELEPHONE ACCESS VIA MODEM:

If you have access to a computer with a modem, you can dial into the campus 
network.  Run your telecommunications program, and have it dial one of the 
following numbers: from Turlock 667-3130, 667-3794 & 664-7072 (28.8K); toll-
free from Modesto 523-2173; toll-free from Merced 723-2810 & 723-2826; and 
toll-free from Stockton 467-5399 (28.8K).  (Check with the computer center's 
(OIT's) help desk to get the latest information on what numbers to call and 
what services are available.  The help desk is in L-150, and the telephone 
number is 667-3687.) 

When the modem connection is made, press the Enter key.  You will see a prompt 
from a terminal server (a special-purpose computer designed to give you a 
choice of connections to other computers).  

If you are prompted for your username, you must enter your login name and 
password on toto, the campus general purpose Unix computer.  If you don't have 
an account on toto, you should get one.  Contact the OIT help desk: L-150, 
(667-3687).

Once you get the ready-prompt from the terminal server (a typical ready-prompt 
would be "cisco1>") it is a good idea to enter a string such as "ter ter 
vt100" This tells the terminal server that you are emulating a vt100 terminal.  
If you are using a terminal emulation different from vt100, then enter the 
correct terminal code instead of vt100.  

If you want to know the characteristics of the communication line, such as 
speed, data bits and stop bits, type "show terminal" at the prompt.  

When you are ready, enter the name of the computer you want to connect to (for 
example, enter "altair" or "pollux").  You will get a login prompt.  Next you 
can proceed with a "text-oriented" session on your chosen Computer Science 
workstation.

Unless you have a special set-up to run X-windows, you cannot run Common 
Desktop Environment over a modem line.  However, you can work on a programming 
assignment, using a simple editor like jove, emacs, or vi.  You can compile 
and test-run your programs while connected this way.  

After you log out, enter "exit" at the prompt from the server before 
attempting to hang up.

INTERNET ACCESS:

Check with your Internet service provider.  Basically, you just need to use 
telnet to login, and ftp to transfer files to and from your computer at home.  
When you make a request for a connection, you will have to refer to the campus 
computers using their fully qualified domain names. You do this by adding 
".csustan.edu" to the simple hostname of the computer.  For example, give the 
name "castor.csustan.edu" instead of "castor" when trying to access castor 
through your Internet service provider.

It's often easier to give help about this sort of thing in person, and maybe 
with the help of a little "show and tell."  If you have more questions on 
these topics, please have a chat with me (Professor Sarraille), or ask at the 
computer center help desk.  The help desk is in L-150, and the telephone 
number is 667-3687.